


Each Time You Happen To Me All Over Again

by pansaralance



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Drunken confessions are always great, Fluff, I WANNA TAKE YOU TO A GAY BAR, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Slow Dancing, gobblepot, we need the fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-08-27 08:12:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8393923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pansaralance/pseuds/pansaralance
Summary: This is Oswald's first trip to a gay bar and he sure didn't expect to find Jim Gordon there!





	

Gotham City didn’t have a gay bar. This was probably for the best, since Oswald wasn’t sure how it would look for the mayor of Gotham to be seen in one. But he really needed this. Every time he saw Ed with that wretched woman he was reminded of his rejection. His heart had been broken yet again. 

So forget love. Tonight he just wanted affection, touch, sex, anything he could get from a nameless stranger in a dark club. He needed to feel wanted for once. He told his security detail that he would be out running a personal errand and to not wait up. 

The closest bar he could find was two cities away, but worth the drive since there was a very slim chance of him being noticed there. He wished he’d thought to go back when he had anonymity on his side. 

Even though he wasn’t wearing his normal suit, he still appeared to be overdressed for a place like this. He felt a few heads turn when he entered in his black dress shirt and purple vest. Maybe he should shed the latter. 

The bar wasn’t anything special, didn’t advertise what it was much. But it had a bar, small dance floor, and a decent crowd. Dimly lit was also a plus. 

Oswald grabbed a seat at the bar to order a drink when he first caught a glimpse of-

No. Way.

Jim Gordon was here. Former boy scout, straight-edge detective of the GCPD, former (?) love of his goddamn life was in this seedy gay bar miles away from the city they both called home. He was sitting alone in the corner on the last seat of the bar nursing a glass of Scotch. His focus seemed to be mainly on the drink in front of him but he looked around now and then to browse the selection. Of men. Does Jim like men??

Oswald was staring at Jim for at least a full minute before he noticed. Jim’s eyes widened in horror and he turned to duck away. Oswald dashed over as fast as he could (he’d nixed the cane for tonight) to stop Jim in his tracks. 

“Woah there, old friend! What’s the rush?”

“You need to get out of my way, now.”

”Settle down, Jim. There’s no need. I’m here covertly too. If I informed anyone of your presence here, that would be admitting I was here as well, wouldn’t it?

That made Jim relax a little.

“I guess so.”

“Not that I would ever dream of giving any secret of yours away, Jim.”

”I get it. Can I go now?”

”Why don’t we sit?”

Jim still somehow felt like Oswald had the upper hand so he agreed. They found an isolated booth to sit at. They sipped their drinks in silence for a bit before Oswald had to blurt out the obvious.

“So you…um…you never struck me as someone who would come here, Jim.”

Jim stared at him and finished his drink, considering his answer. “I’ve been here before, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.” He paused again and broke eye contact. “I started coming here after I met you, actually.”

Well that was unexpected.

“I beg your—” He really wasn’t expecting that answer. “What?”

“I’d felt...things, for other men before. Never acted on them but they were there. College, the army...thought it was just loneliness, I guess.”

Oswald couldn’t believe this. Were a few crappy Scotches all it took to get Jim to open up like this? Or maybe it was the setting. They were cut-off from their home, protected by obscurity.

Jim put great thoughts in his next words. “I felt something even stronger when I met you. When I saved you. They way you looked at me like I was your personal savior. I’ve never felt that loved by anyone before.”

“Was I that obvious?”

Jim smiled. “Yeah. And it scared me. I had to make sure I wasn’t just high on your attention, that I didn’t just crave the feeling of worship I got from you. I started coming here—”

“When, exactly?”

“After Barbara left. I couldn’t cheat, I would never cheat.”

“I never said you did.”

“I know, I just wanted to be clear. But yeah, Barbara had left, and one random day you came by to give me your phone number.”

“Oh, yes,” Oswald laughed. “I remember that.”

Jim let out a small laugh too. “I hadn’t seen you in weeks and here you show up like ‘If you ever need anything!’”

“Well you did! Eventually.”

“Yes. Yes I did.”

“You were worth the wait.”

Jim’s smile faded. “Was I?”

Oswald knew what he meant, but still. “Yes.”

“I took a lot out on you. Did a lot of stuff I shouldn’t have.”

“It’s fine.”

“It’s not, Oswald! I dragged you into my self-loathing, self-righteous spiral and you suffered for it. I don’t expect you to forgive me but I just need you to know—Christ I’m so glad I’m finally drunk enough to say this—how sorry I am.”

Oswald had dreamt of this conversation so many times in his head. In the beginning of knowing Jim Gordon, it played out with confessions of love and passionate, pardoning kisses. Lately he dreamt of telling Jim to fuck right off but deep down knew he never could, even if the opportunity arose. Because this was Jim. His Jim. _My Jim._

Jim looked at him, waiting for a reply. Oswald let out the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding and took put his hand over Jim’s on the table. 

“You have hurt me many times, Jim Gordon. Deeply hurt me. But I doubt there is anything on this earth you could do to me that is irredeemable.”

Jim stared, incredulous. “Why?”

“Because everything in my life that has happened to me has led up to this, to who I am today. That includes my time at Arkham-“

“I’m sorry about that, Oswald.” Jim interrupted. Oswald held up his finger to shush him. 

“But more importantly: my life is yours.”

Jim had no idea what to say to that. “What do you mean?”

“Since the moment you spared my life on the pier, every breath I take is because of you. Every action I take. My accomplishments, setbacks, heartbreaks, they all exist because of you. So in a way, my life is yours.”

It took everything in Jim’s power not to grab Oswald from across the table and kiss him right then and there. How could anyone resist a speech like that? But it wasn’t just the words. There was a connection, a feeling that Jim had been fighting on and off for two years now but was too stubborn to act on. He had come here tonight just wanting a release from his latest failed relationship, hoping for a random hookup to relieve the tension built up. Guess he could settle for the man who literally worshipped him. 

“Wanna dance, Oswald?”

Jim could see the blush flush out in Oswald’s cheeks as his mouth gaped open. “I’m not much of a dancer, but sure.”

Jim took Oswald’s hand in his and let him to the floor. Oswald felt anxious but trusted Jim enough to not make a fool of him. As if his prayers had been answered, a slow song came on by the time they reached the floor. 

He had never experienced Jim this tender, this thoughtful in his touch and movement. He placed one hand on Oswald’s him and used the other to bring their hands up in position and led their bodies in a slow circle. Oswald rested his head on Jim’s shoulder.

It felt ironic to Oswald he finally got what he’d wanted by leaving Gotham, and that even when he left there was Jim Gordon. It was a reminder that he could never escape this man even if he tried. Sure, he’d become a great success, a shining leader to the city that would make his parents proud. But what good was that without someone to share it with? He truly thought it would be Ed for a while there. When Oswald fell, he fell hard. Ed just didn’t feel the same and that’s okay. Still, it never occurred to him at that point that somewhere down the line he’d be slow dancing with Jim, feeling the warmth of his body and breathing in his musky scent. Finally experiencing the sensation of being safely held in his arms. It was enough to overwhelm anyone, so much that…

“Are you crying?” Jim looked down at him as he inquired.

Oswald looked back up with him, out of his trance. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize….”

“What’s wrong?”

He smiled at Jim through his joyful tears. “Absolutely nothing....you’re just happening to me all over again.”

Jim leaned in to kiss him. It was soft, but purposeful. A long-overdue pact of mutual longing. Oswald kissed back with intensity. To finally taste Jim Gordon’s lips on his was heaven. Absolute bliss. Forget food, wine, any of life’s gluttonous pleasures. Jim’s lips were the only vice he needed from this moment on. 

They continued to sway as the kiss deepened and the song ended. Their lips parted only to inquire what would happen next between them.

“So,” Jim broke the silence. “Does the prodigal mayor of Gotham have time for a social visit from a washed up bounty hunter?”

Oswald grinned. “For a good friend like you, Jim, I’m sure I can squeeze you in.”

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't published any gobblepot in over a year and this was just long overdue. I miss my guys.
> 
> Title is from "Age of Innocence" because I'm emo.


End file.
